Loved You Once But He's My Forever

Chapter 577 Star Return To The Sky

Anna knew he wasn't the type to mess around with her feelings.

After being locked up for so many years and trying countless times to escape without success, hearing him suddenly say she was free felt unreal-like something out of a dream.

Taylor gently brushed his fingers against her cheek. "You won't have to see me again. Go live your own life. I'm sorry for ruining it."

Even though he said those things, Anna couldn't fully believe him. It all seemed too suspicious—like he still had something up his sleeve.

It wasn't until the following day, when Taylor truly let her go, that Anna finally felt grounded again.

But almost instantly, another fear crept in-what if he had planted some kind of tracker inside her? No matter how far she ran, he could still find her.

She might never be free of his grasp.

So when Taylor asked, "Anna, can I have a hug?"

She didn't respond-just turned her back to him and walked away.

He suddenly pulled her into an embrace from behind, his voice hoarse and trembling. "You really are cold, Anna."

Guilt flickered in her heart for a moment, but before she could react, he had already let her go. "Take care of yourself," he said quietly. "Go on now-don't come back."

Chloe guided her toward the boat. Once it had sailed some distance, Anna stepped into the cabin-only to find her father alive and waiting.

He was lying to her.

Chloe handed her a small vial, saying it was from Taylor. Once she drank it, all her memories would fade away.

Taylor had brought up this potion before, but back then, Anna couldn't bring herself to forget everyone at the Sanders.

Now, he wanted her to take it-to erase the memory of who he was.

He hadn't hidden a chip on her—this time, he genuinely meant to disappear from her life.

Anna rushed to the deck, scanning the pier for any trace of Taylor, but he was nowhere to be seen. Still, deep down, she was certain he was watching from somewhere nearby.

He once told her she was the rose he'd nurtured with his own hands.

With how deeply he loved her, how could he possibly let her go now, of all times?

Unless he had something even more important than holding on to her love.

Tears streamed down Anna's face.

Chloe asked if she was still going to take the potion, but Anna quietly shook her head.

She wasn't ready to erase the memory of him. She never wanted to forget. Remembering his final words, Anna felt as if a weight had lifted.

Was she truly free now?

She sat curled up on the deck for what felt like hours, hugging her knees and lost in thought. Eventually, Chloe reappeared, draping a coat over her shoulders and gently repeating Taylor's last few words and wishes.

really walked away from him. There was no

last, she was going home-to the Sander residence she had dreamed

the house was falling apart, having Greg, her parents, and Chloe still alive felt

a purpose-to stand by her parents and breathe new life into the

back into the courtyard where she'd spent her childhood, it looked

and

in her mind, it swung with echoes of laughter from the days when

now as she gently took Anna's hand and

first, we mistook Wisteria for you and let her live in your room," she said with

showing up at the Sander residence, which had allowed the place to remain mostly

drew with Chloe, and handmade gifts made by

flipped through each memory,

comforting to be

her heart feel like

she wasn't used to it

returned to Snowville

her that she wanted to change her name, believing

fresh, her name should reflect that

Not Anna, not Alice.

she

to the sky, numbers fade away, and a new year

A fresh start.

more Taylor, nor the painful memories; life was still long, and she had

of being calm, but at night,

every dream,

her back, he taught her to dance, and he

in a passionate embrace.

"Taylor!"

his name

That familiar warmth, the arms that once held her,

to her chest, where a seed had long ago been planted, now quietly taking root and growing inside

picked up the bottle of potion, her fingers brushing

all of

through her mind, again and again, until Anna finally

bring herself to do

become a part of her, as natural and necessary as

the water like she hadn't had a sip in days. It was just thirst, she told herself-nothing to do with the fact that

tears, they kept

eventually move on that time would erase

thought kept haunting her: Taylor was really

vanished off the face of the earth,

had become nothing more than a

moonlight

she only dreamed

lost Anna felt each night, by morning she'd mask it